Method and apparatus for trimming hair

ABSTRACT

A method of trimming hair from a rearward facing area of one&#39;s body comprises facing a first mirror, attaching a second, magnifying mirror to a hair trimming device, and applying the hair trimming device to hair on the rearward facing area of the body such that the rearward facing area is visible in the first mirror as a reflection in the second, magnifying mirror. Apparatus for implementing the method comprises a hair trimming device, a mirror, and a structure connecting the hair trimming device and the mirror, the structure having a first position, in which the mirror extends beyond a first side of the hair trimming device, and a second position, in which the mirror extends beyond a second side of the hair trimming device, the second side being opposite to the first side.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to trimming hair and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus that enable a person to trim hair from areas of the body that ordinarily are not visible to the person.

When people have wanted to trim hair from an area of the body that they can not see, such as the back of the neck, they have attempted to do so by approximation and/or feel, usually with unsatisfactory results, or they have called on others to trim those parts for them. This latter alternative is also often unsatisfactory. The need for such trimming often arises, for example, when a man does not really need his next haircut, but hair begins showing on the back of his neck, detracting from a well-groomed appearance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

By the method and apparatus of the present invention, for example, a man who wants to trim hair from the back of his neck can see what he is doing and, therefore, can do a precise, accurate and relatively fast job of it. A mirror device according to the present invention is releasably attached to an ordinary hair trimming device, such as a safety razor, and, with the help of a conventional mirror, the man can see the back of his neck as he trims hair from it. The man looks into the conventional mirror, which is usually affixed to a wall, and sees the reflection of the mirror device according to the present invention as he applies, to the hair to be removed, the hair trimming device to which the mirror device is attached. The mirror device is arranged relative to the hair trimming device such that the image of the mirror device in the conventional mirror has within it the reflection of the area of the body to which the hair trimming device is being applied. Thus, when the hair trimming device is applied, the mirror device faces the conventional mirror.

The mirror device includes a mirror that is arranged to extend beyond the hair trimming device laterally with respect to the body of the person trimming the hair. Such an arrangement provides a line of sight from the mirror of the mirror device, along one side of the person, to the conventional mirror. Such an arrangement can be provided, at least in part, by providing the mirror device with a position in which the mirror extends beyond the hair trimming device laterally with respect to the longitudinal axis of the hair trimming device. The mirror device is also provided with an alternate position in which the mirror extends beyond the hair trimming device laterally in the opposite direction with respect to the longitudinal axis of the hair trimming device from the direction the mirror extends when in the first position. In the alternate position, the mirror device extends beyond the hair trimming device laterally with respect to the body of the person, in the opposite lateral direction from the direction in which the mirror extends when the mirror device is in the first position. In the alternate position, the mirror arrangement provides a line of sight between the conventional mirror and the mirror of the mirror device along a side of the body opposite the side along which the line of sight exists when the mirror device is in its first position.

The mirror device is releasably secured to the hair trimming device by a connector. In one embodiment the connector can have resilient legs between which the body of a hair trimming device is resiliently clamped. The connector can take numerous other forms, including Velcro straps, elastic bands, over-the-center devices, and the like. The illustrated connector is well suited to attach the mirror device to a currently common type of safety razor, but other connectors, which are adapted to attach the mirror device to electric shavers or other types of hair trimming devices, can also be provided.

Connected to the connector is a structure for resiliently retaining the mirror device in either of two positions, in each of which the mirror extends laterally to a respective side of the longitudinal axis of the hair trimming device. Due to such a structure, a user can move the mirror from one position to the other merely by pushing with a thumb or finger.

The mirror of the mirror device is a magnifying mirror, so that the area from which hair is being trimmed can be seen more clearly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view from behind of a person facing a mirror and trimming hair in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an isometric view from the rear and right side of a shaving device and a mirror device in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is a front view of the shaving device and mirror device of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

By the method and apparatus of the present invention, as can be seen from FIG. 1, a man who wants to trim hair from the back of his neck faces a conventional mirror 2 while holding an ordinary hair trimming device 4 to which a mirror device 10 according to the present invention is releasably attached. The man sees in the conventional mirror 2, which is usually affixed to a wall, the reflection of the mirror device 10 as he applies the hair trimming device 4 to the hair to be removed. The mirror device 10 is arranged relative to the hair trimming device 4 such that the image of the mirror device in the conventional mirror 2 has within it the reflection of the area of the body to which the hair trimming device is being applied. Thus, when the hair trimming device is applied, the mirror device 10 faces the conventional mirror 4.

The mirror device 10 includes a mirror 12 that is arranged to extend beyond a cutting portion 14 of the hair trimming device laterally with respect to the body of the person trimming the hair. Such an arrangement provides a line of sight from the mirror 12 of the mirror device 10, along one side of the person, to the conventional mirror 2. Such an arrangement can be provided, at least in part, by providing the mirror device 10 with a first position in which the mirror 12 extends beyond the hair trimming device 4 laterally with respect to the longitudinal axis of the hair trimming device. The mirror device 10 is also provided with an alternate position in which the mirror extends beyond the hair trimming device 4 laterally in the opposite direction, with respect to the longitudinal axis of the hair trimming device, from the direction in which the mirror extends when in the first position. In the alternate position, the mirror 12 of the mirror device 10 extends beyond the hair trimming device 4 laterally, with respect to the body of the person, in the opposite lateral direction from the direction in which the mirror extends when the mirror device is in the first position. In the alternate position, the mirror arrangement provides a line of sight between the conventional mirror 2 and the mirror 12 of the mirror device 10 along a side of the body opposite the side along which the line of sight exists when the mirror device is in its first position.

As can be seen from FIGS. 2 and 3, the mirror device 10 is releasably secured to the hair trimming device by a connector 16 having a body portion 17. In one embodiment, the connector 16 can have resilient legs 18 between which a main portion 20 of the hair trimming device 4 is resiliently clamped in order to releasably secure the body portion 17 of the mirror device 10 to the hair trimming device 4. The connector 16 can have numerous other structures for releasably securing the mirror device 10 to the hair trimming device 4, including Velcro straps, elastic bands, over-the-center devices, and the like. In the illustrated embodiment, the connector 16 is arranged to be releasably attached to an end of a handle of the hair trimming device 4 that is remote from the cutting element or elements of the device. However, it is contemplated that other embodiments can be structured to have the connector attached to other locations on hair trimming devices. The illustrated connector is well suited to attach the mirror device 10 to a currently common type of safety razor, but other connectors, which are adapted to attach the mirror device to electric shavers or other types of hair trimming devices, can also be provided.

A shank 19 extends from the connector 16, along the handle of the hair trimming device 4 to a structure 21 for resiliently retaining the mirror device 10 in either of two positions, in each of which the mirror 12 extends laterally to a respective side of the longitudinal axis of the hair trimming device 4. Due to such a structure, a user can move the mirror 12 from one position to the other merely by pushing with a thumb or finger. In the illustrated embodiment, the structure includes an elongate member 22 connecting the mirror 12 to a pivot pin 24 or other element in a body 25 of the structure 21 about which the elongate member can pivot. The elongate member 22 extends from the pivot pin 24 through a cavity 26 in the body 25. The cavity 26 is divided into two spaces 28 and 30 by an enlargement 32. Each space 28, 30 is preferably just large enough to accommodate the cross section of the elongate member 22, so that the elongate member 22 fits snugly in each space. The enlargement 32 defines in the cavity 26 a passage 34 which is narrower than the thickness of the elongate member 22, but at least one of the enlargement 32 and the portion of the elongate member 22 contacting the enlargement is made of a resilient material, so that the elongate member can be moved from one of the spaces 28, 30, past the enlargement, to the other of the spaces merely with the force of a thumb or finger.

The mirror 12 of the mirror device 10 is a magnifying mirror so that the area being trimmed can be seen clearly in the reflection of the mirror device in the conventional mirror 2.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art and it is contemplated that variations and/or changes in the embodiments illustrated and described herein may be made without departure from the present invention. Accordingly, it is intended that the foregoing description is illustrative only, not limiting, and that the true spirit and scope of the present invention will be determined by the appended claims. 

1. A method of trimming hair from a body, comprising: facing a first mirror; placing a hair trimming device, having at least one second mirror attached thereto, in a position to observe in said first mirror the reflection from said second mirror; and manipulating the hair trimming device to remove hair from portions of the body visible in said first mirror as a reflection in said second mirror.
 2. The method of claim 1, including the further step of attaching said second mirror to said hair trimming device.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second mirror is arranged to extend beyond the hair trimming device laterally with respect to said body.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the body has a side and the second mirror is arranged to extend laterally beyond said side of the body.
 5. A method of trimming hair from a rearward facing area of a body, comprising: facing a first mirror; placing a hair trimming device, having at least one second mirror attached thereto, in a position to observe in said first mirror the reflection from said second mirror; and applying the hair trimming device to hair on the rearward facing area of the body such that the rearward facing area is visible in said first mirror as a reflection in said second mirror, wherein the body has first and second rearward facing areas from which hair is to be trimmed, the first rearward facing area being adjacent a first side of the body, the second rearward facing area being adjacent a second side of the body, and the second side of the body being opposite to the first side of the body, and wherein the second mirror is arranged to extend approximately laterally relative to the first side of the body when the hair trimming device is applied to the first rearward facing area, and the second mirror is moved relative to the hair trimming device to extend laterally beyond the second side of the body when the hair trimming device is applied to the second rearward facing area.
 6. (canceled)
 7. The method of claim 5, further comprising magnifying, by means of the second mirror, the image of the rearward facing areas from which hair is to be trimmed.
 8. Apparatus for trimming hair from a rearward facing area of a body, comprising: a hair trimming device; and a mirror coupled to the hair trimming device, the mirror having a first position, in which the mirror extends laterally relative to a first side of the hair trimming device, and a second position, in which the mirror extends laterally relative to a second side of the hair trimming device, the second side being opposite to the first side.
 9. The apparatus of claim 8, including a structure that releasably retains the mirror in the first and second positions.
 10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the hair trimming device has a hair trimming element facing in a first direction, and the mirror faces generally in said first direction.
 11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the mirror is a magnifying mirror.
 12. Apparatus for trimming hair from a rearward facing area of a body, comprising: a hair trimming device; a mirror; and a structure connecting the hair trimming device and the mirror.
 13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the hair trimming device has a hair trimming element facing in a first direction, and the mirror faces generally in said first direction.
 14. A mirror device comprising: a mirror; an attachment structure adapted to attach the mirror to an elongate element, the attachment structure having first and second opposite sides; and a member coupling the mirror to the attachment structure, the member having a first position, in which the mirror extends beyond the first side of the attachment structure, and a second position, in which the mirror extends beyond the second side of the attachment structure, the member having a structure releasably retaining the connector in its first and second positions.
 15. The method of claim 1, wherein the second mirror is a magnifying mirror.
 16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the mirror is a magnifying mirror.
 17. The mirror device of claim 14, wherein the mirror is a magnifying mirror. 